Koyle Royale Carmenere 2009 – Fit For A King

SRP of $26 (Saturday Splurge) and available at that price. Sample submitted for review.

From the bottle:

“In 1885 Don Francisco Undurraga became a pioneer by making superior wines from the best Chilean vineyards. The Underraga family has since then been dedicated to producing great Chilean wines for six generations. Today this family tradition continues with Koyle.

The wines come from a unique terroir in Alto Colchagua which borders with the Andes Mountains. Koyle is the result of the family’s unending quest for excellence, with the Royale range representing the best wines from the vineyards. Cristobal Undurraga, Koyle’s winemaker and viticulturist, is a gifted and experienced 5th generation Undurraga with the same passion and commitment as his ancestors when creating the finest Chilean wines in the market.

Selected grapes have been hand picked and vinified with refinement and freshness in mind, aged in French oak barrels for 18 months and destined to be the new pride of the family.

14.5% Alcohol”

Attention Cabernet Sauvignon fans…if you’re not drinking Carmenere you’re missing the boat! We detailed a number of excellent Carmenere in our series on the grape last year and we’ve got another excellent example today. Chile’s signature grape is a great alternative for Cabernet loving wine drinkers, especially those who love a big red wine with their steak. And while Cabernet may be known as the king of grapes today’s Saturday Splurge is definitely fit for a king.

The 2009 Alto Colchagua Koyle Royale Carmenere offers a really inviting bouquet that gets more complex the more time it spends in the glass. Aromas of dark fruit, pepper and oaky spice dominate along with wisps of freshly roasted coffee and dark chocolate. In the mouth, the wine tastes BIG. This dense, powerful and velvety smooth wine features loads of lush blackberry and plum flavors plus fine, grippy tannins. On the dry, long finish the fruit turns a bit sour. There’s also a good dose of spice and a little tobacco to round things out at the very end. Just as good (and still fit for a king) on day 2.

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